Coffin with child’s organs, but no body, found on Philadelphia sidewalk

PHILADELPHIA – Police are investigating after a coffin was found on a Philadelphia sidewalk with with a child’s organs inside.

The coffin was discovered by people walking on West Clearfield Street just after 9 p.m. Tuesday, WTXF reports.

Police Chief Inspector Scott Small told KYW-TV that the medical examiner determined that a plastic bag inside the coffin contained embalmed organs from an infant or small child. “What’s unusual is, inside the coffin – other than the bag of organs – there was no body,” Small said.

Police said it appeared to be a “fresh coffin,” which was possibly taken from a funeral home or dug up from a fresh grave. The lid of the small casket may have recently been pried open because the screws were freshly loosened, according to police.

The coffin was discovered across the street from a cemetery. Police searched the cemetery, as well as another nearby cemetery, but could not find any dug up graves.

Police plan to see if any funeral homes are missing a body or a coffin.